Today, many types of exercise equipment are available for fitness and medical purposes. These purposes include improving cardiovascular ability, toning and strengthening muscles, controlling weight, and improving flexibility. Several types of equipment aid a user in this regard by creating some form of effective resistance against repeated body movements.
A pilates-style combo chair is one such exercise device. The frame of this device is a basic box-like structure designed to rest on a horizontal surface such as a floor. One or two pivot arms protrude out of an open front of the box-like structure. Each of the pivot arms has one end fastened to the frame of the box. A step support is mounted on the free end of each pivot arm. In order to perform various exercise movements, the user typically sits on or leans against the top of the box, stepping or pressing down on the step support with his or her foot or hand to rotate the pivot arm downward. One or more elastic members, such as coil springs, provide tension against the user's downward movements.
One end of each coil spring is attached to a pivot arm. The other end of each coil spring typically has a hook that must be inserted into the eye of an eyebolt fastened to the inside or the inner sidewall of the combo chair structure. The user must physically bend down to look under the top of the chair in order to align and engage the hook into the eyebolt. This action is awkward and inconvenient for the user as it is often difficult to attach the spring without visually watching the connection as it is being made.
Thus, there is a need for an anchor that easily and securely connects one end of an elastic member, such as a coil spring, to the frame of an exercise apparatus such that the elastic member remains securely connected to the apparatus as the tension in the elastic member is varied or modulated.